The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Orange Pilarxe2x80x99.
The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a mutation induction breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif. The objective of the program is to create new Chrysanthemum cultivars with desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, good substance, and good postproduction longevity.
The new Chrysanthemum is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary induced mutation that originated by exposing unrooted cuttings of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Pilar, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,331, to X-ray radiation. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within a population of plants of the irradiated selection in May, 1996 in Salinas, Calif. The selection of this plant was based on its desirable inflorescence form and floret colors and good postproduction longevity.
Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Orange Pilar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Orange Pilarxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Orange Pilarxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Anemone-type inflorescences that are about 6.4 cm in diameter and with large anemone centers.
2. Attractive soft orange ray florets and bright yellow disc florets.
3. Very freely flowering habit with numerous inflorescences per stem.
4. Early flowering, response time is about 49 days.
5. Dark green foliage.
6. Thick and strong stems.
7. Long peduncles.
8. Good postproduction longevity with inflorescences maintaining good substance and color for about three or four weeks in an interior environment.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the cultivar Bronze Pilar, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,760, primarily in ray floret color as plants of the cultivar Bronze Pilar have bronze-colored ray florets. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum also differ from plants of the cultivar Pilar, primarily in ray floret color as plants of the cultivar Pilar have purple-colored ray florets.